Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-17


There Is, perhaps, no better known lunar prog
nostic than that referred TO In the Old scotch
ballad of Sir Patrick Spens:
Oeveralack, my master dear,
saw the new moon late yestreen.
Va the auld moon in her arm,
Afd feaf y @ fis sS, sS SEA ssr master
Chambers, in ssThe Book or DAYS. saws that TO see
1.-THE old moon in the arms or the new one" is reck-
oned sign OF line weatner-another curious ex-
ample OF how sayings get twisted; but in that
statement ne is quite wrong. The appearance is
almost universally held 70 be sign OF bad
weather Two EXPLANATIONS have been offered 10
account for the prosnostic, in each OF which there
Is undoubtedly measure OF truth When the
moon appears new" 10 us, the earth would appear
full to the lunar Inhabitants II there were any;
and what causes the dark part OF the young moon
earthshine. The earth, however, viii not always
shine with equal brilliance. even when the same
amount OF surface is illuminated. for obviously
clouds reflect more light than either land or sea.
Hence, when an unusual illumination or the
night SIDE OF the moon Is apparent, 10 shows that
the earthshine is exceptionally strong, which In
amount OF cloud In our atmosphere. SO the APP
partition OF the old moon In the arms OF the new
virtually means that there are vast cloud-banSs
gathering which possibly are drifting up to Us,
bringing rain or storm. IL Is satisfactory 10 know
that this venerable prognostic has sound phys
icai basis and Is as worthy OF respect as ever it
was.
The other explanation to which referred is the
greater visibility" OF the air which generally pre-
cedes rough or unsettled weather, this ciearness
allowing the ghoStly disk OF the old moon 20 loom
forth in q way ft could not do through misty at
mosphere. Though, doubtless, part explanation Of
be taken along with the other. the halo Is an old
sign or bad weather:
"When round the moon there il q brugh,
The weather will he cold aud rough"
OF Sixty-one lunar halos observed thirty-four
were followed by rain within twenty.four hours,
nineteen by rain within four days, and only eight
by no rain at all The cause OF halos Is the forma-
ton OF an extremely attenuated form OF cloud
snces NESTS kpercroHoy and Marriott Who
made q detailed comparison between number OF
popular weather prognostics and the actual dis
charts, found the lunar halo to be q true sign OF
the approach OF a ''cyclOne" or area OF depression,
just as clear moon indicates the presence OF an
anti-cyclone, or area OF high pressure, with the
likelihood Of cold or frost Similarly, pale or
watery moon marks the advent OF a disturbance,
same cause and has the same significance. The
variation OF this last prognostic which makes
sullied lower horn the sign Of foul weather before
weather about the wane, Is purely fanciiul
DR.. X b. Tyl0r says: 1.-THE notion that the
weather changes with the moons auaroeTi Ig Is
That educated people TO whom exact weather
records are accessible should still ind satisfaction
Intellectual survival am willing TO be with the
foremost In combating such absurdities as "Hers-
chefs Weather Table," and all theories which
would assign TO the lunar phases an Immediate
control OF our weather. but Il SO happens that the
notion DR.. Tylor condemnsis one for which there
may be some foundation. A moons quarter is
roughly equivalent to a week, and Mr.. Carpmael,
the director Of the Canadian Meteorological De-
partment, once told me that he had very fire.
Queptly noticed o tendency In the weather TO
change and repeat itself every seven days SINH
lar seven-day peri0dicity has been observed IN
the United States. IL Is not TO be supposed
that I am cOntending for cycle due 10 the
moon only wish TO point out that there is some
evidence OF the existence OF q seven-day weather
period, which may sometimes happen 70 be COIN
cident with the lunar phases; and II this be really
II is not at all wonderful that our Iorefathers
were led to infer q connection, or that even "edu
Gated people continue TO put certain amount
OF faith in rule SO well founded.
But pre-eminently the lunar cycle Is that OF
eighteen and half years-the ancient Saros, or
period OF revolution Of the lunar node. IL has
been traced in sundry Phenomena, including the
amount OF rainfall and the recurrence or epidemic
pestilences The evidence, OF course, Is extremely
shaky, though scarcely more 30 than much OF that
adduced In favo- of the sun spot cylce. The truth
seems TO be that In certain lines OF inquiry, an
investigator starts with o predetermined system
OF any Kind statistics wiz bear him OUT or can Do
made To bear him out.